Automatic engine cut-off



May 14,1946. c. R. GUINN I AUTOMATIC ENGINE CUT-OFF Filed July, 51, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ma 14, 1946. ('1, R GUINN 2,400,303

I AUTOMATIC ENGINE CUT-OFF Filed July 31, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 dwm Patented May 14, 1946 i. UNITED :STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC ENGINE CUT-OFF Charles R. Guinn, Konawa, Okla. Application July31, 1944, Serial No. 547,499

6 Claims. (01. 101-7) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in devices for automatically interrupting the operation of an internal com bustion engine after the same has run for a predetermined length of time.

In many instances, such as in the pumping of an oil well, it is desired to interrupt the operation of the engine after a predetermined lapse of time, and it isaccordingly anobject of the present, invention to provide anapparatus for accomplishing this purpose without depending upon the operator tostop the-engine at the desired'time. V

An important object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of this character embodying trip means for closing a valve in the fuel line of the engine, together with a fluid collecting chamber for actuating the trip means when a predetermined volume of fluid has been collected in the chamber.

A further object is to provide an apparatus of this character 'of' simple and practical construction, which is efiicient and reliable in performance, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes-for which the same is intended. 7

Other objects and advantages reside in the details ofconstruction and operation asmore fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and wherein:

a Figure 1 is a fragmentarysectional view of the crank case of an internal combustion engine 7 showing the automatic cut-off attachment in position thereon.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the trip mechanism for the cut-off valve.

Figure 3 isla sectional view taken substantially on a line 3 -3 of Figure 1. I V

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on a line 4-4 of Figure l.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of a modifled-form of the invention.

in the] direction as shownby the arrows in Figure l of the drawings.

The present invention comprises anoil collectingcontainer 8 positioned inside the crank case and pivotally supported therein on a pin 9 carried by'a bracket l0.

Supported in closely spaced relation above the top of the container is a hood structure I l including a neck portion l3 in the bottom of which is a horizontal partition l4 closing the bottom portion of the neck, the partition having an opening l5 therein adapted to be closed by a tapering needle-type valve l8 slidably mounted in a spider l1 "within the neck and formedwith a threaded stem l8 threaded through a bridge structure I9 onthe upper, end of the neck, the valve being threadedlyadjusted by means of a wingedhead 20.

Projectingoutwardly and upwardly from the upper edge-of the neck is an oil collecting trough 2| in which oil thrown by the crank shaft is received for draining into the neck l3'and subsequently, collected into the container 8 under the control of the valve l6.

The. containerfl' is normally held in its upright position, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, by means of a trip mechanism which includes a vertical rod 22 extending upwardly through. a bracket 23 secured to the outside of the crank case, the rod being pivotally supported on. the bracket 23, as at 23', and the lower end of the rod being connected to the pin 9 by means of links 24 and 25, the container 8 and link 25 being securedto the pin 9 formoving the link 24 and rod 22 in the direction as shown by the arrows in Figure 1 of thedrawings, upon a downward tilting movement of the container 8 through the collection of a predetermined volume of oil therein. d I

The upper end of the rod 22 is formed with a horizontal extension 26 having-ashallow hook I at its outer end engaging a similar hook 28 formed. on one end of a trip arm 29,-the arm extending angularly from, a shaft 30 journaled in bearings 3| supportedon the outer end of the bracket 23.

The shaft 30 also includes a crank arm 32 overlying a plunger-type valve 33 in the fuel line 34 of the engine.

The trip arm 29 is'yieldably urged downwardly bymeans of a coil spring 35 attached to the bracket .23 and extending upwardly therefrom andwith its upp r end engaging a wire U-shaped member .36 closedat its upper end by a collar 31 4 ed by means of a winged head 39 to regulate the tension of the spring 35.

In the bottom of the container 8 is a ball valve 40 retained in a cage 4|, the ball normally being maintained in its closed position by gravitation and secured to the inside of the crank case 5 is a valve actuating finger 42 disposed in the path of downward movement of the ball 40 when the container 8 is tilted downwardly to open the valve 40 to drain the contents of the container 8 back into the crank case.

In the operation of the device, the value 33 is normally maintained in an open position to permit fuel to pass through the fuel line 34 for operating the engine when the trip mechanism is set in the position as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. While the engine is running, oil will be thrown into the trough 2| for subsequent collection in the container 8 and after a predetermined lapse of time sufficient oil will be collected in the container to overcome the intergripping engagement of the hook members 2! and 28 of the upper end of the rod 22 and trip arm 29 and thus through gravitation cause a releasing of the hook members 21 and 28 whereupon the spring 35 will pull the trip arm 29 and valve actuating arm 32 downwardly for closing the valve 33 and thus cut off the fuel line for the engine to interrupt operation thereof.

The downward movement of the container 8 will cause the finger 42 to engage the ball valve 40 to thus open said valve and permit the contents of the container 8 to drain back into the crank case. y

The device of the present invention is reset for effective operation by moving the container 8 back to its normal vertical position and again placing the hook members 21 and 28 in engagement with each other, as shown in Figure 1.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings, a bracket 43 is provided which is attached to a suitable part of the engine, the bracket having the vertical rod 44 pivotally attached thereto as at 43 for holding the trip arm 45 in its inactive position, as previously explained with reference to the firstmentioned arm 29. The trip arm 45 controls the closing of the valve in the fuel line (not shown) through the means of the coil spring 46 similar to the operation of the first-mentioned spring 35 as explained with respect to Figures 1 to 4, inelusive.

The links 41. and 48 are connected to the lower end of the rod 44, the link 48 being secured to e the pivot pin 49 and to which is also secured a cup 59 in which a container 5| is removably sup ported.

A neck 52 projects upwardl from the container 5! and supported on an upstanding extension 53 of the bracket 43 is an upper container 44 having a pet cook attached to its bottom portion and positioned immediately above the neck 52 for controlling the rate of flow in the draining of liquid from the container 54 into the container 5|.

After a predetermined volume of the liquid has been drained into the container 5|, the trip arm 45 will be released by the downward tilting movement of the container 5| in the manner as previously explained with reference to the container 6.

Also carried by the bracket 43 is a stop 55 in the path of downward movement of the container 5| to limit movement thereof.

When resetting the mechanism illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings, the contents of the container 5| is emptied back into the upper container 54 and the device is then again made ready for use by moving the container 5| and its support 50 back to normal position and re-engaging the hooked end of the rod 44 and the trip arm 45.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the device constructed in accordance with the present invention will effectively cut off the fuel for the engine'after a predetermined lapse of time.

It is believed that the details of construction, manner of operation and advantages of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing without further detailed explanation.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. An automatic engine cut-01f comprising a cut-off valve in the fuel line of the engine, a spring-influenced trip mechanism adapted to close the valve, and means for releasably retaining the trip mechanism inactive and comprising a container pivotally mounted in the crank case of the engine and adapted to receive oil splashed by the operation of the engine crank shaft, means for controlling the flow of oil admitted into the container, and latch means connecting the container to the trip mechanism and adapted for releasing the latter by a pivotal movement of the container when the container is supplied with a predetermined volume of oil.

2. An automatic engine cut-off comprising a cut-off valve in the fuel line of the engine, a trip mechanism for actuating the valve and normally governing the valve when opened so as to establish flow in the fuel line, a gravity-actuated liquid-collecting container controlling operationof the trip mechanism, said container being pivotally mounted, disposed in a normally upright position and having a releasable retaining connection with the trip mechanism, and means for selectively supplying a predetermined measured quantity of liquid to said container whereby to load the container to a weight sufficient to cause gravitating movement of the container and thereby a release of the connection with the trip mechanism and a resultant actuation of the cutoff valve which closes the latter so as to stop flow in the fuel line.

3. An automatic engine cut-off comprising a cut-off valve in the fuel line of the engine, a trip mechanism for actuating the valve and normally governing the valve when opened so as to establish flow in the fuel line, a normally positioned, gravity-actuated, liquid container operatively connected to the trip mechanism for controlling actuation thereof and through such connection both the trip mechanism and the container are releasably held each in their respective normal positions, and means for feeding liquid to the container under volume control, whereby, upon loading of the container with liquid to a definite weight, the'container moves so as to cause actuation of the trip mechanism which effects the closing of said cut-off valve.

. 4. An automatic engine cut-off comprisin a normally open cut-off valve in the fuel line of the engine, a trip mechanism for actuating the valve and alternatel governing the same in opened and closed positions, a normally positioned, gravity-actuated, liquid container operatively connected to the trip mechanism for controlling actuation thereof and through which connection both the trip mechanism and the container are releasably held in their respective normal positions, and adjustably regulatable volume control means for feeding liquid in predetermed degree of flow to the container, whereby, upon loading of the container with liquid to a definite weight, the container moves so as to cause actuation of the trip mechanism which effects the closing of said cut-ofl? valve.

5. An automatic engine cut-off comprising a normally open cut-off valve in the fuel line of the engine, a spring-influenced trip mechanism adapted to close the valve and alternately govern the same in opened and closed positions, means forreleasably retaining the trip mechanism in its normally set position with the cut-ofi valve in its opened position, said means comprising a pivotally supported, normall upright, tiltable liquid container, adjustably regulatable volumecontrol means for feeding liquid to the container "in measured quantity and during a definite period of time, and releasable catch means connecting the container to the trip mechanism in the normal position of the container and the normal set position of the trip means, said latch means acting to automatically release the trip mechanism by a tilting movement of the container when the container becomes supplied and loaded to a definite weight with a predetermined volume of liquid.

6. An'automatic engine cut-off as set forth in claim 5, wherein the container is provided with normally closed drain valve means and associated external means cooperating to open the valve means so as to empty the container when the same, as loaded with liquid, is tilted to a definite angular degree under weight of the contained liquid.

CHARLES R. GUINN. 

